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FIDO updates to accelerate global charge past passwords

The FIDO Alliance announced its first user experience (UX) guidelines and new FIDO2 standards enhancements aimed at accelerating the world’s move beyond passwords. With over 4 billion devices, all major browsers and operating systems now supporting FIDO authentication, the releases make it even easier for service providers and enterprises to provide simple, phishing-resistant and privacy-enhancing sign-in experiences.

The announcements come as the widespread support for FIDO Authentication has led to an increased demand from service providers and consumers alike – but they need an implementation path to follow that maximises adoption and simplifies FIDO deployments. The FIDO UX guidelines provide that path, allowing service providers to help consumers understand, adopt and benefit from logging in with FIDO.

At the same time, the increase in remote work and subsequent increase in phishing attacks on their infrastructure is accelerating enterprises’ digital transformation plans and making strong authentication a priority. The FIDO2 enhancements address enterprises’ unique authentication and device management needs for faster, more efficient FIDO deployments.

“Eliminating the reliance on passwords is now a major objective for everyone offering online services – both to provide a more seamless yet secure access to consumer services, as well as to address the growing threat from sophisticated attacks targeting distributed workforces and systems. Our first UX guidelines and FIDO2 enhancements give consumers and enterprises the tools, protection and roadmap to a simpler, more secure, passwordless future,” said Andrew Shikiar, executive director and CMO of the FIDO Alliance.

UX guidelines to speed adoption of FIDO authentication

Virtually every modern device and web browser now supports FIDO Authentication, allowing consumers to leverage the same technology they use to unlock their device (a fingerprint or face scan, for example) to now sign-in to web services in a secure and private manner. A growing number of large service providers and financial institutions are providing this built-in functionality in order to give their customers the option to log in without the risk and hassle of passwords.

These FIDO UX guidelines were created as a set of best practices to help service providers encourage their customers to log in with FIDO Authentication on desktop environments; other FIDO authentication use cases will be addressed through UX guidelines in the future.

The UX guidelines are available to view and download at www.fidoalliance.org/UX-guidelines

The FIDO Alliance also has updated the consumer resource site www.loginwithfido.com with added information on how and where to use FIDO Authentication.

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